Retail food environments research in Canada: A scoping review

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: The field of retail food environments research is relatively new in Canada. The objective of this scoping review is to provide an overview of retail food environments research conducted before July 2015 in Canada. Specifically, this review describes research foci and key findings, identifies knowledge gaps and suggests future directions for research. METHODS:A search of published literature concerning Canadian investigations of retail food environment settings (food stores, restaurants) was conducted in July 2015 using PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, PsychInfo and ERIC. Studies published in English that reported qualitative or quantitative data on any aspect of the retail food environment were included, as were conceptual papers and commentaries. SYNTHESIS:Eighty-eight studies were included in this review and suggest that the field of retail food environments research is rapidly expanding in Canada. While only 1 paper was published before 2005, 66 papers were published between 2010 and 2015. Canadian food environments research typically assessed either the socio-economic patterning of food environments (n = 28) or associations between retail food environments and diet, anthropometric or health outcomes (n = 33). Other papers profiled methodological research, qualitative studies, intervention research and critical commentaries (n = 27). Key gaps in the current literature include measurement inconsistency among studies and a lack of longitudinal and intervention studies. CONCLUSION:Retail food environments are a growing topic of research, policy and program development in Canada. Consistent methods (where appropriate), longitudinal and intervention research, and close partnerships between researchers and key stakeholders would greatly advance the field of retail food environments research in Canada.

An exploration of citizen science for population health research in retail food environments

“…The aim of the workshop was to introduce citizens and other key stakeholders to retail food environments, and increase their involvement in considering as a community how where we live, work and play influences our food choice opportunities. 11 The Office of Public Engagement at Memorial University runs an annual event series called Engage Memorial, a knowledge mobilization initiative intended to support researchers in showcasing collaboration between the university and the community, and to build capacity for public engagement. Engage Memorial presented an opportunity for us to augment our existing HCSNL knowledge exchange plan with The Food In This Place.…”

“…The retail food environment, including the availability, accessibility and affordability of food in retail settings, has emerged as an important contributor to population health and dietary behaviours. 11 We will speak to how citizen science concepts and methods demonstrate how everyday exposures in the retail food environment can be highlighted as a contributor to health.…”

Retail food environments research: Promising future with more work to be done

“…As Minaker et al found in this special issue, most of the Canadian research has been published in the last 5 years. 1 The field is growing and dynamic.…”

“…As Minaker et al point out, retail food environments research has expanded rapidly in Canada, only one paper having been published before 2005 and 66 between 2010 and 2015. 1 The increase in publications is a reflection of a concerted effort from researchers across Canada, but is not unique to Canada. 2 This special supplement covers a wide range of methodological approaches, populations and geographic foci.…”

Retail food environments, shopping experiences, First Nations and the provincial Norths

“…1 Significantly, conflating the provincial Norths and Far North (the Northwest Territories, the Yukon, and Nunavut) fails to capture the unique contexts and challenges that characterize food retailing in these locales. An in-depth examination of the retail environment in the provincial North reveals Grassroots Indigenous movements and organizations responding to the changes in the subsidy program have brought the extremely high rates of food insecurity in the Canadian North to the attention of the broader Canadian public through social media campaigns and on Facebook pages such as Feeding My Family.…”